World Rugby’s African association, Rugby Africa (www.RugbyAfrique.com), is delighted to announce the appointment of APO Group (www.APO-opa.org) the leading media relations consultancy for Africa and the Middle East, as their global sponsorship agency.

As part of the new agreement, APO Group will support Rugby Africa in securing corporate partners for the ten major international competitions in Africa through the sales of title sponsorships, naming rights, and activations.

The competitions covered by the deal include the iconic Rugby Africa Gold Cup 2018, qualifier for the 2019 Rugby World Cup and the Africa Rugby 7s tournament, qualifier for the 2020 Olympics.

“We are very excited to extend our partnership with APO Group,” said Abdelaziz Bougja, Chairman of Rugby Africa. “Since we first began our collaboration last year, we significantly increased our international media coverage and touched thousands of fans all over the world. There is a tremendous interest in rugby on the African continent, and the competitive spirit is increasing day by day.”

“Today, Rugby is the fast-growing sport in Africa. In 2002, only six African countries were playing the game, and now Rugby Africa boasts 38 countries. Out of 105 countries playing rugby competitively, one-third are African countries!”.

Over the last decade, rugby has made significant inroads in the continent. The popularity and TV viewing figures for competitions have enjoyed unprecedented growth. In June, the Rugby Africa Gold Cup promises to be an exceptional event as it doubles up as a qualifying competition for Rugby World Cup 2019™ in Japan. Up to three African teams, including South Africa, could end up representing the continent.

Hosted every four years, the Rugby World Cup™ is the second most watched sports event globally. In 2015, the international tournament was the most attended sports event behind the FIFA World cup. Over 2.47 million tickets were sold with around half a million (480,000) fans traveling from overseas (24 countries).

On social media, audience participation exceeded all expectations. The hashtag “#RWC2015” was used once every two seconds on Twitter which highlights the global reach of the game.

This year, the stakes couldn’t be higher for African rugby. In addition to the Africa Gold Cup, the next Africa Rugby 7s competition in September will also act as the Olympics qualifier for the Tokyo 2020 summer Olympics. At least one African rugby team will take part in the Olympics Games.

“We are very pleased that Rugby Africa reiterated their trust in APO Group,” said Nicolas Pompigne-Mognard, Founder and CEO of APO Group. “We aim to lead the way in sponsorship, integrating the needs of the brand, event, and audience, and delivering a smarter sponsorship experience for Rugby Africa. The 2018 season will determine how fast rugby can catch up to football in the coming years. It is a sport that embodies social integration and the strong values of respect, teamwork, enjoyment, discipline, and sportsmanship many people share”.

As their global sponsorship agency, APO Group will be able to help organizations enjoy the unique sponsorship opportunities offered by World Rugby’s African association, Rugby Africa, including Title Sponsors, Major Sponsors, and Official Sponsors. Big brands expanding their footprint in Africa have already expressed strong interest in sponsoring the Rugby Africa Gold Cup, the Africa Rugby 7s competition and CSR initiatives. Through these single opportunities, designed to appeal to all budgets, companies can showcase their commitment to Africa. This is an opportunity to get into the game while it is booming and support African youth, women and the next generation of leaders.

The sponsorship programs will include a unique media and social media coverage plan, content production (including photos and videos), creative promotional and TV advertising solutions and activations to elevate brand awareness and connect with local audiences.

“In 2050, Africa will be home to a billion young people,” Mr Bougja added. “To become an official sponsor of Rugby Africa’s international competitions today is to be confirmed as a key promoter of the fastest-growing sport in the continent and the world”.

Disclaimer: The competitions of Rugby Africa are: RAGC, RASC, RABC, W7S, M7s, U20BT and Regional trophy.